


A Court of Scales and Secrets

by Surina



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: D&D homebrew, Dragons, F/F, Femslash, My First AO3 Post, No knowledge of D&D rules needed, Politics, Slow Burn, Spies, War, somewhat canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 02:31:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16589105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surina/pseuds/Surina
Summary: A reimagining of A Court of Wings and Ruin with 3.5 Hombrew D&D getting involved.It follows Ryphana, Spymaster of Arkhosia, and Steel Dragon rogue, and her introduction to Prythian and Velaris, along with the efforts against Hybern, and Mor, who can see through Ryphana’s protective lies and half truths, something deities struggle with.No D&D knowledge needed.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, you don't need a lot of D&D knowldege, and I use hombrew varients that make it hard to recognize, but within those variants, everything that the D&D charecters do can be done by a charecter with their general set up. I don't have precise builds yet, but I will. For exact power level - Tier 3 balance point, but Level 30 tristalt.
> 
>  
> 
> More generaly, this is my first fic, so any tips or advice is apreciated. also, any editing, as no one has seen this

### Ryphana

I silently reread the dossier on the Nine-Hells’ latest activity and groaned. I would need to bump a few positions to keep us, in the material plane unharmed. If we just send the message to Glasa, in place of Levestius… That should do it, I twiched my fingers over my left arm, creating a display screen not unlike the “smartphones” of other worlds, before triggering reference and communication spells to send a message to Irago, the head bureaucrat of Arkhosia Foreign Intelligence (AFI), and my second in command. They were much better equipped to deal with the next problem, a report on file retrieval speeds.  
I glanced at my calendar, shown in the same spells as the messages, and realised that I was going to be late for my next meeting.

  
Five hours later, and I was leaving my last meeting, a review of actions between Queen Surina and her top officials. My smile stretched in a grin at the joke Grychak had ended with, as the 4 dragons, dragonborn queen, and one human priestess of Erathis walked away.

  
Mevaurni, High Commander of the Arkhosian forces pulled me and Grychak, Queen’s Consort and Archmage aside, as Surina talked to our lead ambasador, a copper dragon named Haigon, and our bureaucrat, Lesial Omrig, priestess of Erathis.  
“I need a strike force, Far Realms cult is disrupting supply lines, a nasty group” Mevaurni stated “Can you two go with me? I already have a plan.”

  
“I can help, I want to keep my combat skills up” I smiled at my old friend and ally, the only person I had trusted for a long while. Grychak considered. “I’ll go, have a few spells I want to try.” at this, Mevaurni laughed “Ah, Warmages. Always looking for to blow thing up! No sense of subtlety to speak of, right Ryphana?”

  
I smirked. “You can be just as obvious, Murni with your shouts of tactics and bright lights. I, on the other hand, fight only with my wits, my lies and my blades.”

  
The tactician nodded. “See you two tomorrow then, I am heading back to supply chains and food prices.”  
“An old tome on spell theory that Sada translated for me, some new tricks”

  
I just sighed. “I have dozens of reports on people acting calmly and rationally, one of which might doom our nation.”

 ----

I felt the rush of the air on my scales, and glanced at the other 2 dragons flying for a cult’s headquarters in the early morning. While my blue-grey scales slid across the dark like a dagger on black velvet, a match to my human form’s grey eyes, Murni was a river, mithral bright, and Grychak was a sun, fiery golden. I heard Murni’s telepathic whisper - “Nearly there, stay sharp” as she began to process. I felt a twitch in my mind, and then I was seeing displays on all of us, Murni’s psionic collective giving me information for the upcoming fight. Her eyes flashed silver, and an image of a warehouse room, people and twisted creatures bowed towards an alter, while a whisper of words touched my mind - _We have surprise, hit the roof._  
Grychak growled and gestured, and the emerald bolt of a disintegrate slammed into the warehouse roof. We dropped towards the opening, three strikes of wrath. We breathed as one, and the cultists fell as Grychak’s flame, Murni’s light, and my raw force hit. I twisted, drawing my preferred human form to the surface, and as the dragon breath cleared, I landed in my usual form, two knives drawn. Murni landed with me, sword and shield ready, eyes glowing silver as she scanned possible futures. Overhead, Grychak’s wings boomed.

  
Only a few of the cultists stood, alongside alien beasts. I slipped for the edges of the warehouse, vanishing into the shadows as I circled. A second barrage of flame hit, as Grychak summoned a blast of fire, and Murni messaged “hit the six-armed star-spawn on the left, careful of it’s feint.” as the things ran for us. I nodded, and as Murni dodged and struck the first, I slid under the second’s guard, standing behind it. As it turned, my first cut hit it’s top shoulder, swinging into a block of another knife, as I reached around, and my second knife took it’s throat. As it died, the body dissolved and a mass of writhing worms was all that remained of the creature. Then Murni swore - “Bahamut's breath - watch out, Ry!” as one of the cult’s leaders, chanting insanity that I had tuned out. I felt the air roil, and jumped free, but the spell turned, and I whistled through the air, straight for an unyielding wall. A single moment before I hit, I shot across a beam of moonlight, and dissolved into shadows under Sehanine’s eye.


	2. Chapter 2

Mor

    I studied the crowd at Rita’s, celebrating in defiance of Hybern’s recent attack, as I sipped a drink. Normally, I would be dancing, but since both Az and Cassian were injured, I watched the crowd, letting the gosip flow through my ears. There was news of rebuilding efforts, plans for the upcoming solstice, and the stories of a busy city. I smiled, happy at my city's ability to recover from the disaster, returning to normal.

    Rita, the eponymous owner, slipped through the crowd, chating with regulars and meeting newcomers. She slipped into the opposite seat, smiling - “What’s on your mind, Mor? ”

    I just shrugged “Life. Hybern, and what it means for our trade partners… Things have not gone well, recently, with Feyre in the spring court, Az and Cassian being injured. Keeping everything running has taken a lot out of Amren, Rhysand, and me.”

    “Sorry to hear that.” Rita turned, considering the bar - “See anyone you like?” she asked with a wink.

    I sighed. “I have too much going on to worry about that. Why do you ask, someone caught your eye?” I smirked

    “No, Vera is a light to me, and I will not stray.” Her voice turned soft as she thought about her girlfriend.

    “She’s good for you. I am so happy about you two.” I laughed in joy for my friend.

    Suddenly, I felt a quivering in the wards, and tensed. Someone was winnowing in, without the approval citizens possess. I tensed, standing, as my hands went to my back, where swords would be in a fight, before gathering my magic, that of truth and fate.

    I felt the wards buck, peeling like a bell to my power, before settling. The fey on the dance floor began to back away from it’s center, reaving what seemed to be a prone, staggered human female, a slight mist dissipating rapidly. I began to take in more details as she stood, blades at the ready. She was of average height, 5’6” or so, with dark brown, shoulder length hair, fair skin, a face both beautiful, forgettable, and expressionless, and piercing steel grey eyes which scanned the room, resting on me and Rita a step behind. She sheathed her long knives, simple and unremarkable in appearance, as I studied her with my magic… and froze.

    Where I was expecting no change to her form, I saw a majestic beast, steel scaled and winged, under her skin. And yet, both forms were obscured by mist. Her intentions were unclear to me, and yet I saw that she was confused and meant no harm. This obscuring was unexpected, strange and new. Very few had the ability to block my magic, and it was always total protection, not this mix of mist and truth.

    I breathed out. “Who _are_ you?” The woman nodded, as if considering a request. “I am called Ann”

    I growled. “Don’t lie to me. This is my home, and I will defend it.”

    All of the woman’s body froze, with the exception of her eyes, which reappraised me. “How did you know? Almost nothing can catch my lies. How did you get past my protections?”

    I bared my teeth. “Don’t change the topic, Who and what _are_ you?”

    She sighed. “Ryphana. I’m head of Arkhosia Intelligence and Security, and I have no idea where I am, or who you are.”

    I relaxed, as Ryphana gave the information freely, without a lie. “You’re in the Night Court of Prythian. I’m the Morrigan, or Mor, and manage sections of the court, including the outside city. I’ve never heard of Arkhosia.”  I considered her, and what I Saw. “What creature did I See below your skin? That generally means a shapeshifter.”

    Ryphana stilled, at the last comment, before. “I’ve no knowledge of a place called Prythian, Mor. As to the second question… you Saw right, something which has not happened in a long time. I am a steel dragon, the city dwellers of dragonkind, and expert shapeshifters.”

    She seemed to twist, her unremarkable, if good looking, former features changing into mine. “We can take our original form, and mimic any humanoid form. Most steels have one form they favor, often above their ‘true form.’” With that, she shifted back into her former form.

    I was satisfied that she was no obvious threat, as I could spot lies, something which surprised her, and she gave too much info away, despite discomfort at it. I sent a thought to Rhys, down the feather light tendril he kept curled in the back of my mind, for cases just like this one - _We have a newcomer, someone strange. She is safe… as far as I know._

Ryphana glanced at me. “Mor, may I send a message to my queen? She will want to know where I am.”

I nodded. “Feel free, I trust you.”

She kept her face impassive, and I realized how little it told me, before she twisted one of the bracelets on her wrist, speaking into it. My fae ears pick up on what she said. “Safe, Delayed, off world, teleport beacon active” and pulled out a stone from a pocket of her sharply cut suit, and taped the rune inscribed on top, which flashed blue.   

She then stilled. “Odd, I should have a response by now. Something’s blocking it.”

I breathed out - “What could do that? How long do you expect to be here?”

She paused, her face impassive, before freezing. “Of course! The moonlight, shadows. Stupid, meddling, interfering deities… though, she wouldn’t do it on a whim. There must be some reason why I am here.”

“That sounds bad. I might have some ideas.” I then felt a familiar brush in the back of my mind, and head Rhys’s answer. _Amren and I are on our way. See you soon._

I gestured for Ryphana to follow as I turned for the door. “I’ll explain as we walk. Some friends of mine want to meet you.”

She just turned, easily keeping stride. “After that, can I do some research on Prythian, the Night Court and this city?”

“Of course. I’ll help you and show you a library. The city is Velaris, _do not_ talk about it to outsiders.”


	3. Chapter 3

### Ryphana

  
I glanced at Mor as we stepped out the door of the club I had arrived in, thoughts in my head lining up. “Ah… I see why you were worried about my appearance. Velaris is hidden, isn’t it?”

  
The other woman nodded, her golden hair falling forward. I had to admit, Mor was beautiful, though I didn’t dwell on it any longer, noting it like a dagger someone has no intention of using. “My friends should be here in a moment - Ah. There they are.”

  
I nodded, scanning my surroundings, my senses on high alert. The city was bustling, alive with energy, a place of hope to my steel dragon soul. I noticed that there were no humans on the street, and my appearance gathered odd glances, but that there was an incredible array of beings, some scaled, others semining perpetually soaked with water, curling horns. In a way it reminded me of Sigl, city of many planes.

  
A moment later, and two people were standing in front of me. As they stared at me, I measured their capabilities. Both had the unique sense of spellcasters, confident in their power, but that was were similarities ended. The woman, shorter than me, was not built for a fight, but her roiling silver eyes and thrumming in my dragon blood told me that she held a vast supply of magic, more mighty and varied than anything nearby.

  
The man, however radiated magical and martial might, self confidence obvious on his sharp, dark face. I noted his wings, shadows and might. Where the woman was a hidden wrath, he was a force of Night incarnate. I saw why Mor called this the Night Court, and why Sehanine had sent me here.

  
I summed up the power of the people before me, before Mor turned, making introductions. “Rhys and Amren, this is Ryphana. Ryphana, this male is my cousin Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court, and the female is Amren.”  
I nodded, examining their social ticks. “Pleased to meet you.”

  
Amren considered me, a stare that cut to my core. A stare that would cut to my core, if I stood at my full height, shifted my weight to a combatant’s stance, let down my barriers against divination (that Mor had ignored), and made a thousand other minor changes. Instead she saw me as I presented myself. “Who are you, and why are you here?” She snapped. “We are at war, and you might be a spy.”

  
I relaxed, as she merely guessed at my motives. “I’m head of Arkhosia Intelligence and Security, here due to accident and chance,” I stated. “While I am a spy, I mean your nation no harm.”

  
Mor cut in. “One thing she failed to mention is that she is a ‘dragon’”

  
Amren snarled, eyes glowing, and I saw the monster. “Typical. She hides the truth, and manipulates our opinions. You should just get rid of her now.”

  
I turned on Amren, and let a bit of my dragon form show. My eyes glinted with cold, steely determination, while my cheekbones and forehead speckled with scales. “I refuse to be intimidated. Don’t push me, for I will make you regret it.” I stated, voice low, cold, and strong as steel.

  
Mor and Rhysand froze at the hostility between us, before Rhysand cut in. “Mor knew about it, Amren, and I trust her. Please don’t make a scene.” Amren relaxed, and with that, my human form came to the surface again. Rhysand added “I can gather some of what you are, but what are your goals?”

  
I glanced at him, and his astute question, and then at Mor and considered her truth magic, which I knew of no defense against. “I wish to return to my world and my nation, Arkhosia.” I noticed Amren tensing, and continued. “However, I doubt that is possible, and as such I would like to know about this world and its politics, with the possibility of working with this court.”

  
Rhysand studied me, the examination of a leader making a set of decisions, before nodding. “Mor, get her settled at the House of Wind and give her the basics of our world. We’ll have dinner tonight, with Az and Cassian. I want to know what Arkhosia is like.” With that statement, he stepped back, out of the conversation, and vanished, my senses picking up on teleportation magic.

  
Amren treated me to one last glare, a implicit threat to behave. I just nodded once, impassive, before she vanished in the same manner as Rhysand.

  
Mor turned to me as the others left. “I’ll take you to the House of Wind, and I can give you a primer on our politics.” She held out her hand, and I surmised that the teleportation ability relied on touch. “Here, I’ll winnow you up there. Just grab my hand.”

  
There was no reason to distrust her, no cause to offend her, so I nodded and grabbed her hand. I felt a shift, and then we were shadows, slipping through the world on a dark wind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of updates, computer problems set in.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some exposition on Prythian. Few hints, and a lot of dialogue (Ugh.)

A moment later, I was standing on a balcony high above the city, on what appeared to be a palace. I scanned the area, taking note of the other mountains, and two large glass doors, leading into the palace itself.

  
Mor realize that I had forgotten to extricate my hand, and slid her own out, a bit too hastily, as she turned for the doors. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

  
I followed a few steps behind, as my mind fell into old routines, memorizing every turn. Mor was pointing out rooms - “Here is the library, the dining room was where we entered, and these are some armories… that’s a room full of paintings of Rhysand’s ancestors” she said, pointing to a door which had a dusty handle. “That’s a study, and this will be your room.” She opened the door.

  
I studied the room, opulent and sizable. A quick scan showed no surprises,but the decor was impressive. “Thank you.” I moved in, unbuckling my knife belts and placing them on the hat stand. Mor followed me in, plopping down in one of the chairs.

  
“What do you wish to know?” Mor asked. “We can head to the library, once you’re settled.”

  
“Thank you again. Could I see a map?” I requested. “I find that always gives me a proper overview.”

  
Mor nodded. “A map sounds great,” She stood. “If you have no intention of changing right now, we can head to the library.” She motioned me out the door.

  
We retraced our steps, until we were outside a pair of double doors which Mor had pointed out previously. I reached out, swinging one open, and stepping to the side to let Mor go through first. She stepped in nodding to me, and I saw her form tense at what was inside.

  
“Is everything okay?” I murmured, while stepping in. And saw why Mor was tensed. A wo - no, Mor used female for Amren - sat in a chair, her head having snapped up from her book at Mor’s entry.

  
“Why are you bothering me?” The female snapped. “Cassian is annoying enough.” Her attention fell on me. “Who is that? I would think that fae wouldn’t let humans here.”

  
As Mor began to respond, I examined her, in the space of a moment. While she was hostile and defensive, her body lacked the toning of someone who valued combat skills. While the sheer power of her magic rivaled Amren’s, it was sprawling and withered, like a garden left to fend for itself. She was obviously untrained, and didn’t use her power. I let the threat or dislike in her glare wash over me, as Mor didn’t care what she thought about me, and social attacks were all she could use. I can deal with those without twitching my second eyelid.

  
“Be nice Nesta, Ryphana is new here.” Mor snapped “She wants an overview of Prythian, since she is willing to work with us. Also, she ended up here by accident, and is a dragon, not a human.”

  
I nodded at Mor’s words. “Sorry to bother you.” I said, as I turned deeper into the library. Mor followed, soon catching up and turning us to a small, well light table. She grabbed a book off a shelf as she walked.

  
Mor plopped down into a chair, and motioned for me to sit in one next to her. “I hope Nesta wasn’t too bad. She’s always a pain.” She opened the book, an atlas I realized, to a large map of a continent and 2 large islands.

  
“I’ve dealt with much worse. She’s all bark, no bite.”

  
Mor pointed to the larger island. “This is Prythian, where we are. The Night court occupies the northern parts, with six other courts to the south. These courts are divided into four seasonal - summer on the west coast, winter in the north, fall,” her tone went bitter. “In the east, and spring to the south. Above the court under the mountain, neutral territory, are the three solar courts, which are, from south to north, dawn, day, and night. Below the Wall,” Mor ran finger along a thick, black line. “Are humans, the ‘mortal lands.’ Above the wall, live fae.”

  
I nodded. “Seems clear. Why was the wall created?” I leaned over the map, putting nation names firmly in my head, so that, if mentioned, I would know where they are.

  
Mor’s face turned dark at my question. “I was getting to that. Humans used to be enslaved by the fae. 500 years ago, human’s and their fae allies, including the Night Court, fought for freedom in what we call the War, and won. While most of Prythian was allied with the humans, much of the continent was fighting for the continued enslavement of humans. In addition, Hybern was one of the strongest forces aganst emancipation.” Mor pointed to the second island, farther out to sea. “Hybern, under the direction of it’s king, hopes to enslave the humans once again. We wish to stop that.”

  
I nodded. “What are the human nations like? Also, what actions has Hybern taken?”

  
Mor turned from the map, facing me. We were a foot apart, fine for leaning over a book, but close for a face-to-face conversation. Mor noticed this and scooted back, an action I noted. “The humans have seven major nations, each one a feudal system ruled by a queen. However the humans of southern Prythian are unorganized and unaffiliated. Hybern has prepared for the war by mobilizing its sizable army. More critically, its king has gained control of an artifact, the Cauldron which can resurrect, or turn a human into an immortal fae. It can also provide great magical power, and allow for many things to be done, we just know of those two functions.” Mor paused, letting the nastiness of the Cauldron sink in. “The king used it to resurrect Jurian, a human hero from the War, and used him to persuade the queens to join his side, in exchange for immortal life.”

  
“How do you know all this? I would assume Hybern has capable security.” My mind was storing details, and building a map of the political situation.

  
Mor’s face flashed pain and anguish on her face as she recalled something. The female needed a class in facial control. I could read her like a book, one not even in a code or unfamiliar language. “We attempted to infiltrate Hybern and neutralize the Caldron, but Hybern was prepared, and we were in a tight spot, with Az poisoned and Hybern holding the antidote. Hybern had allied with Tamlin, High Lord of Spring, under the promise of giving Feyre back to Tamlin. He also brought the queens, and demonstrated how the Cauldron could turn humans to fae, using Feyre’s sisters, one of whom was Nesta.” She paused. “There are more details, but that’s enough for a summary. Getting out, Cassian’s wings were shredded, Feyre went to the Spring Court, and we brought her sisters here.”

  
I let that sink in. “It seems Velaris was attacked recently. How secret is it?”

  
Mor sighed. “We gave its location to the human queens, before we knew they were working with Hybern. His forces attacked, prompting our retaliation, which you know about.”

  
I nodded, considering. I couldn’t fully trust Mor, lasting training told me, and yet, I wanted to, for reasons I did not wish to consider. I wouldn’t fully trust the Night Court, but I was stuck. I had only them as sources of information. If they lied, I had bad info, one of my few fears.

  
These thoughts out of the way, I turned to Mor. “Can I read up on some of the more… recent politics?” Suddenly, something slipped out. “I don’t like not knowing things. It confuses me.”

  
As I froze at my words, involuntarily and strange, going against centuries of experience, Mor nodded. “Here, I might have a book. Most of the stuff up here is fiction or basic reference works. Some display books.” She moved, seeming to bounce with energy to another shelf, pulling down a book, one more recently printed. She handed it to me, and I glanced at the cover - A War of Words: 500 Years of Peace, and it’s Events. She nods at the text “Richan’s a great writer, even if you were involved in the events he writes about.”

  
I smile at her, and it’s not my usual politician’s smile, but a true grin. “Thank you.” I consider Rhysand’s earlier words. “Rhysand mentioned dinner. When is that?” I glance around. “I would like to clean up a bit beforehand.”

  
“Oh, it’s in an hour! I can show you back to your room?” Mor looks at the clock, surprised by the time.

  
“Thank you, that would be lovely”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we see inner circle “talking” to Ryphana. Az, Mor and Rhys will probably try subtle interrogation, and Ryphana will probably return the favor.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, Please give me feedback.


End file.
